To Humanity Poem by Amit Deshwal

All that I was ever told by you was the story of your glory and brilliance.
Of how the world was made for you and how you helped shape it
For long I believed it and sang the songs in awe of you.
For long I flew behind you, following the same aspirations.

Let me tell you and tell you clearly, that now no longer I am with you.
No longer do I want to live for you, in awe of you, with you.
No longer do I wish to be bound by your thoughts and beliefs.

Your story is not a story of magnificence or grandeur
It is a story built on your exploits and exploits alone
A story of the spread of your control, greed and power
Of the exchange of lively forests with layers of bricks
Of the replacement of little hens with your morning hamburger
A story of heart blackened by greed and drooling tongue
A story that considers all others as nothing but your resources
It is a story not worth reading or following.

It reads that since the time you started to tame, kill other animals
And all those who were here to share this world with you
And till the time when you burn your own self in the same fire.
You would do nothing but ravage, plunder and kill
Removing a hundred species, a million trees
Every single day from your path to success and glory

What harm did the birds, plants and animals ever do to you?
The more I dwell into the reasons, the more at loss I am
I really wonder why you were sent here in the first place
And why was I sent here to be your part.
Definitely not to live and to let live and to love
That is something you have never done
Instead you used religions to extol your own grandeur
Likening yourself to your God and your Creator
Defining the trees and other animals as ‘lower beings'
These beings who still continue to just love and give

And for years I learned the verses and bought your story
For years I was part of your raging army
But now I wish to withdraw
Withdraw from your story and your definitions
That of success, ambition, life, god, power and even love
I am at peace. The awe has dissolved and disappeared.
Your story is not even worthy of trash

I would rather live and be with the so called ‘lower beings'
With the animals who continue to love unconditionally
With the trees who continue to give unconditionally
For here is an acceptance of all being equal if not same.
For they do not hate and do not wantonly destroy or kill.
For with them Truth no longer is a virtue, it simply is.
For I know I would find more peace, harmony and safety
In midst of them than I could ever find among you

It feels good to turn my back to you and be with everything else.
As I write this and as I lose faith in you, I regain my faith in life.
I realize that your life isn't worth a penny more than that of a plant
Something that I think I had lost long ago is coming back